Recent investigations have found direct associations between cyber bullying, teen suicide, and negative impacts on adolescent mental health. Cyberbullying — or using online platforms to spread negative, harmful, or false messages with the intent of hurting someone else — affects a significant portion of teens each year.
With such a high percentage of teens experiencing cyberbullying, the time is now to work toward stopping cyberbullying once and for all. Take a closer look at how cyberbullying affects teen suicide and why targeted prevention and intervention strategies are vital.
The Link Between Cyberbullying and Teen Suicide
Cyberbullying among teens is a highly prevalent problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1:
- 33% of middle school students report being cyberbullied
- 30% of high school students report being cyberbullied
- 5% of primary school students report being cyberbullied
Certain students experience higher rates of cyberbullying than others. For example, high school students who identify with the LGBTQ+ community report nearly twice the rate of cyberbullying than heterosexual students, and female students are more likely to be bullied than male students.1
Cyberbullying is a major health concern. Researchers investigating the link between cyber bullying, teen suicide, and mental health have found that teens who experienced cyberbullying were over four times more likely to report thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts.2
The same research team found that while cyberbullying perpetrators were rare, they were exponentially more likely to report being cyberbullied themselves. This means that teens who experience the negative effects of cyberbullying are more likely to spread the harm of cyberbullying to others — creating a destructive spiral of online abuse.
Forms of Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying takes many forms, but the critical component is the intention to harm others online. Common forms of cyberbullying include3:
- Online harassment and threats
- Spreading false rumors or gossip
- Cyberstalking
- Invading others’ privacy
- Impersonating others
- Outing, or sharing private information about a person online
Cyberbullying can often start with seemingly positive connections. Teens may attempt to deceive or ingratiate others online into sharing personal information with them, only to then “out” them to their peers once they’ve received information intended to be held in confidence.
Psychological Effects on Teens
The effects of cyberbullying on teens can be devastating. More than ever, online spaces are a form of important social relationships, connections, and even teenagers’ identities. Unlike earlier generations, adolescents frequently associate internet communication as a primary and necessary form of socialization.4
As such, being a victim of cyberbullying is associated with a number of psychological consequences, with social media often playing a key role. Researchers have identified several psychological effects of cyberbullying, including4:
- Increased stress
- Symptoms of anxiety
- Depression
- Social isolation
- Thwarted belongingness
- Suicidality
- Aggression
- Increased substance use
- Higher levels of negative emotions
All of these effects contribute to the connection between cyber bullying, teen suicide, and mental health. Left unaddressed, cyberbullying can contribute to the development of serious mental challenges and impairments in academic performance and ultimately lead to teens experiencing suicidal thoughts or attempts.
Identifying Warning Signs
Recognizing the warning signs that a teen has been a victim of cyberbullying can help you prevent the worst of these psychological effects. Importantly, many teens resist the label of cyberbullying, so simply asking whether they’ve been bullied online may not be enough to identify when this harassment has taken place.
Instead, look for indications of cyberbullying such as:
- Sudden behavioral or emotional changes
- Heightened levels of distress in online behavior
- Verbalizing emotional struggles
- Cyberbullying others
- Suddenly disconnecting from social media or online spaces
- Reduced use of online devices
- Mood swings
These warning signs can indicate that it’s time to talk to a teen about their online habits and the types of interactions they’ve been having online recently.
Impact on Academic Performance
There is a robust scientific consensus that cyberbullying can have substantial effects on academic performance as well.5 The association between academic performance and cyberbullying isn’t always linear, however. There are several intermediate variables that ultimately impact performance in school.
First, many teens who experience cyberbullying will attempt to avoid school altogether. Students who’ve been the victim of cyberbullying may try to avoid situations that may lead to further victimization by either skipping class or pretending to be sick.
The psychological effects of cyberbullying have an effect as well. Teens who begin showing the symptoms of anxiety, depression, or aggression following cyberbullying can experience a drop in grades and school engagement as a result.
If academic performance falls significantly, there are a host of long-term consequences that may follow. Researchers have identified poor academic performance as a risk factor for future incarceration, antisocial behaviors, and health-damaging behaviors, such as substance use.6
Prevention and Intervention
The connection between cyber bullying, teen suicide, and serious mental health consequences makes it clear that prevention and intervention should be a top priority for families and schools alike. Thankfully, there are several options for preventing cyberbullying from taking place, including:
- Providing teens with education programs about responsible online behavior
- Encouraging teens to report cyberbullying incidents
- Speaking out about the impact of cyberbullying
- Implementing strict anti-cyberbullying policies at school, home, or other adolescent spaces
If your teen has been the victim of cyberbullying, finding support from a therapist or other mental health professional can help prevent them from spiraling into severe mental health challenges.
But teens will only speak up if they know that they have a safe space to do so. Providing reporting mechanisms that they feel comfortable using is crucial.
Help Rachel’s Challenge Stop Cyberbullying
The impact of cyber bullying, teen suicide, and worsening adolescent mental health cannot be understated, and it cannot be left unaddressed. With such a high number of teenagers experiencing cyber bullying, teen suicide is a very real concern that must be met with action.
At Rachel’s Challenge, our team works diligently on education and prevention efforts to stop the proliferation of cyberbullying in schools and help teens understand how online behavior can affect people in the real world.
When you’re ready to start spreading the message, book an event with Rachel’s Challenge at your school or organization or donate to the cause to get involved today.
